jonmulcahy said: do you need any beta testers for your project: salvage?
It's a good question — and not having a beta test could be considered one of the largest problems with the original launch of BOT — but this project is nowhere near as advanced as that. Also, I think people will enjoy it more when it's presented in its complete form.
Here's a true story. I have been showing the app to some people that I know. One of them really like what I presented, but then refused to look at an update — opting to enjoy the app when it was finished.
So... I think I'll just get going on finishing the app.
One of the things that I noticed is the memory issue. The used RAM starts out at around 2 megs... and then will likely balloon to 40 megs when the app is finished. There's not much I can do about this, as GameSalad doesn't release the memory. It's all one scene. Since it's iAds, quickly switching scenes can hurt revenue... as the ad may not load in time or be on the screen long enough to matter.
tenrdrmerMember, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-ChefPosts: 9,934
Photics said: — and not having a beta test could be considered one of the largest problems with the original launch of BOT —
It seems like someone somewhere tried to warn you of this.
tenrdrmer said: It seems like someone somewhere tried to warn you of this.
Ultimately, I don't think it really matters. I set out to build a game that's more for hardcore players. A lot of the feedback was to make the game easier. BOT wasn't meant to be easy.
So, I'm almost done with Project: Salvage. I just have some minor things to do and then I can upload the project to Apple. I learned something interesting... Rules might not have a significant effect on performance. I have an actor with 85 rules. While it's slow to open in the creator, I haven't noticed any performance issues in testing.
I'm surprised that no one guessed as to what Project: Salvage could be.
Also, I'm debating if I should announce the project today or on the day it launches. I think it might have greater impact if I wait.
...and finally...
The forum is getting worse... my favorites don't appear. The Forums Activity link doesn't work. Does GameSalad need some HTML help? I think it's a mistake to be using bbPress for a site like this. I think it should be upgraded to vBulletin.
OK, no replies... that means I'm going to keep this project a secret until release. Well, maybe I'll send an email to Touch Arcade. This could be a good exclusive for them.
I'm actually glad that there was a GameSalad memory problem. I almost went over the 20 MB download limit. The project size number in the GameSalad Creator was surprisingly smaller than the final build, which was 21.7 MB uncompressed.
Even if there wasn't a problem with RAM, I would hit a problem with download space. I was feeling a little down that I didn't push this app more. Yet, there are two technical limits that suggest I hit the right size. If the app size is over 20 MB, that usually means less downloads.
Although, GameSalad is not as optimized as it should be. Since I'm using a custom loading screen, there's no need to include the gamesalad_intro.m4v and gamesalad_intro@2x.m4v files. That's an extra 369 KB of space wasted.
I set the app for an August 1, 2011 launch, but that seems highly unlikely. I'm thinking mid-to-late next week seems more likely.
NextGen said: Hmm I think you should release the idea before release Are you sure Touch Arcade will feature it as it's "Made With GameSalad"?
I was about to write the email, and then I was like... nah. I don't feel like wasting my time. This app doesn't need it. The app is free. And according to internal testing, it might be more popular than the game it's supposed to promote.
There's a lot of potential here. I had a lot more fun building "Project Salvage" than building "BOT". While working on "Project Salvage", there was laughter and a lot less frustration. This project could also have great appeal to non-gamers.
"Project: Salvage" is in review. That's not the name of the app though, but tomorrow the world will know what this app is about! Heh... if it passes review. I rated it 17+ for Frequent/Intense Mature/Suggestive Themes... which makes it unavailable in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Apple doesn't like Breasts apparently, that app "Boob Job" that was out a few weeks ago was pulled. It's absurd. As if this country isn't prudish enough, we can't have a boob job app in the app store?
butterbean said: Apple doesn't like Breasts apparently, that app "Boob Job" that was out a few weeks ago was pulled. It's absurd. As if this country isn't prudish enough, we can't have a boob job app in the app store?
Good luck with your submission!
I thought that app was a bit silly and I think it's a bit surprising that it lasted that long. I don't think the app should have been pulled, but it seemed out-of-place at the top of the charts.
I don't think that it's the United States being prudish. I think it's a global thing. I didn't know that the 17+ rating would block my app from Saudi Arabia or The United Arab Emirates.
So, it's Apple to stay cautious.
butterbean said: @Photics: Wish I could see the screenshots you submitted, apple has really ramped up their anti-boob campaign They're just adipose tissue!
Maybe Apple will approve the app later today. I like Friday launch dates, so that's cool with me. If it's just a one-day delay, I'm not going to get too grumpy about it. Actually, I think this is fun. It adds to the drama of the app. I'm going to change the launch date to the 5th. If Apple does approve the app, you can see one of the images right at the loading screen. The original version of the app icon is similar to content that's in the app.
By no means was "Boob Job" an extraordinary app, it was purely entertainment, BUT, there was no reason for Apple to remove it.
By saying the U.S is prudish, I wasn't talking about the app store specifically, but I was generally speaking. For a westernized country, we are prudish, but it's a mute point. (and a long story)
Apple takes rejections too far, and they're inconsistent with their rejections as well, you can see other apps in the store that are approved with the same or more objectionable content, whereas yours was rejected. It's really up to the discretionary of the reviewer I guess, so it's a lottery of sorts.
So did your game go in review again or are you still waiting? Good luck!
butterbean said: So did your game go in review again or are you still waiting? Good luck!
The app went back into review right away, but now I'm sitting around waiting to see what happens. Around dinnertime yesterday, the app went into review. Almost 24 hours later, it's still sitting in review. There's another thing that Apple does... letting apps sit for a while in review and then ultimately rejecting them. I'm not sure that's intentional, but it is a good way to discourage developers.
My second year of iOS development is about to end. Do I spend $99 and renew for a third? What seemed obvious is now becoming doubtful.
I'm starting to get really annoyed with Apple. It shouldn't take 36 hours to review this app. I hate having to watch my app and wonder what's the right launch date. I now have it set for Saturday, but I'm not so sure that's a good day of the week for the app to launch.
I sent an email to Apple. I think they should explain themselves. Why is my app sitting around? What is so controversial about my app that it has been delayed? The reality is that my app is no more extreme than magazine covers at the supermarket. Previously, I decided to give Apple some courtesy. I changed the images to make Apple happy. But now, I'm starting to get angry.
I'm paying money for this service. Apple is making a significant amount of cash off of my apps. I'm starting to think of alternatives... I'm even starting to think about the Android Market and I don't even like Google.
These are some possible alternatives...
• Team up with GameSalad and sell the Textbook through the Marketplace • Sell content directly through my website. I don't need Apple. • Switch to Corona and start developing Android apps immediately.
Right now, options one and two are starting to look really good to me. I still have trouble getting started with Corona. Something that Carlos posted on his blog is troubling to me...
Notice how Walter now calls Corona the best mobile platform in the planet. And that is because you have made us get here, and also, unlike our competitors, our success lies within your success.
Competitors... when I think of competitors to Corona, I think of GameSalad. Would BOT have been more successful if I built it with Corona? I think that's a fair question, but I don't agree with what Carlos said. Is GameSalad only out for themselves? No... absolutely not... and the whole GameSalad vs. Corona thing is one of the main reasons why I don't use Corona. It's like I have to pick a side. I feel like the GameSalad team has been quite helpful. Sure, I could make a lot of money by writing a book about Corona, but I could make a lot of money by writing a book about something else.
Ultimately, GameSalad is one minor change away from being incredibly useful — HTML 5 Exporting. No app store tyranny, no crazy rules or reviews, just my website and my games.
I think that's what I should do today, test out BOT in HTML 5 mode. I think GameSalad is heading in the right direction, but the community should push a little more to make it useful. GameSalad is sitting on a very powerful tool for the next generation of web publishing. Apple's App Store might be the leader now, but HTML 5 could render it obsolete. Perhaps now is when that battle starts for me.
Photics said: Would BOT have been more successful if I built it with Corona?
its not the tool but the developer.
i think bot would have been slightly more successful if you used beta testers, but that doesn't mean too much. I had 20 testers and all it did was root out gameplay issues.
its all about luck. after all the time and effort i put into my last game, i'm taking a break for awhile. i can't go through all that work for basically noting again, and i don't want to play the quality vs quantity game on the app store.
@Photics: When an app is rejected, and you resubmit it, it always goes "in review" but you still have to wait the 7-10 day waiting period. It sucks, but it's how they do things now, so everyone has to wait in queue again just as if you were submitting it new.
Don't give up on the app store. You clearly know your way around GS, and it would be a shame for you not to renew your license.
Beta testing is important not only to clear out bugs, but to get feedback from people on what features should be added, what things should be changed etc. It's not easy hearing others feedback on a game that's so personal to you, but if you want your game to be successful, it's a crucial step in the game development process.
jonmulcahy said: its not the tool but the developer.
That's big misconception around here... or at least common theme. It's simply wrong. Better tools make for better games. Making excuses for GameSalad won't help them in the long-run.
I think loading times would have been dramatically improved with Corona, but I'm not so sure I could do the cool particle effects as easily. Arrays are huge for RPGs, as I could have used tiles. Apparently, the large size of the game was also an issue. Achievements could also help.
jonmulcahy said: its all about luck. after all the time and effort i put into my last game, i'm taking a break for awhile. i can't go through all that work for basically noting again, and i don't want to play the quality vs quantity game on the app store.
I was thinking of taking a break too... but this is what I want to do. Besides battling it out the apps store, building an online arcade is one of the major goals for Photics.com. Figuring out what players like is tricky. Yet, if I wasn't doing this, I'd likely be wasting time with MMORPGs. Heh, so I might as well keep going — at least until Star Wars: The Old Republic is launched.
Mike, If you're going to make better games you need to be a but more honest with yourself.
You seem to keep denying that there are any design flaws with Bot.
Like I said before I think you have the groundwork laid down for a great game there. But it could do with some fundamental changes.
If you can't see mistakes you'll never learn from them.
Anyway, I am actually trying to be helpful here. If you want I can PM you some issues I have with BOT. If so, let me know.
There are a few people around here who will take the time to be honest with you. You don't have to agree every time but at least consider that they may be right. If anyone offers feedback it's likely that they are trying to help you make a better game.
Shaz
---------- "Honey Tribe is not only a remarkably endearing little game, but it's also incredibly addictive." Pocket Gamer "...a touch above the rest in the endless running genre" 148apps.com Say hi on Twitter Like us on Facebook www.HoneyTribeStudios.com
butterbean said: @Photics: When an app is rejected, and you resubmit it, it always goes "in review" but you still have to wait the 7-10 day waiting period. It sucks, but it's how they do things now, so everyone has to wait in queue again just as if you were submitting it new.
BAH... that's lame!
At first I figured that I would have to wait another week before it was reviewed. Yet, it did say "Waiting For Review" before it was "In Review".
butterbean said: Don't give up on the app store. You clearly know your way around GS, and it would be a shame for you not to renew your license.
Right now, I'm considering my options. I probably won't give up on the app store for simply one reason. Even if I do nothing, except just renew my license and let my apps just sit there, I'd still make money.
Although, it seems that jonmulcahy got discouraged too. Is that the natural progression for a GameSalad developer? It's tough to keep that energy going. Some days I look at the app store and think, "Where are the games? I can do better than this!" and other days I think, "Wow, I can't compete with this!"
butterbean said: Beta testing is important not only to clear out bugs, but to get feedback from people on what features should be added, what things should be changed etc. It's not easy hearing others feedback on a game that's so personal to you, but if you want your game to be successful, it's a crucial step in the game development process.
The problem with BOT is that I felt I hit the design requirements. Even with all the changes from feedback, a lot of people were still grumpy with the game. And if I was a tester with Angry Birds, I would say stuff like... lousy music and annoying sound effects. Even though there are issues with Angry Birds... and even though lots of players complained about adding Rovio spam to a paid game... the game is still perched at the top of the app store. (It only moved down to second place recently because of a new Cut-The-Rope game.)
So, while I still believe that the app store rewards quality, there's also some stuff that defies logic. Even if everyone loved Angry Birds, wouldn't they all have bought it by now? Why does the same game just dominate the top-ten... while other games seem to go nowhere? Do I keep trying to figure out the puzzle?
As long as it's still fun, then I think it's OK for me to keep trying. But when I see Apple giving my apps a hard time, that's when the fun quickly turns into frustration. Now I have to shadow this app for a week to make sure that the launch date doesn't get screwed up.
HoneyTribeStudios said: Mike, If you're going to make better games you need to be a but more honest with yourself.
You seem to keep denying that there are any design flaws with Bot.
The game wasn't built for everyone... and I've seen reactions from players that get it. Much of the negative feedback to me is bit absurd. I don't get mad at a sports car because it's not the best for grocery shopping. IT'S A SPORTS CAR!
BOT was meant to be an alternative to the typical games on the app store. Not everything was apparent. That was by design. Could it have been better? That's a meaningless gauge, as just about anything in life can be better. The point is that it was a 99¢ app — that I worked on for six months — and people reacted to it like I killed someone's puppy. Feedback is good, but it's only part of the picture.
Reaction time... that's another issue. With the Android Market, I was releasing updates whenever I wanted. Apple's App Store isn't that fast. That's a limitation of the system. Additionally, I am limited by GameSalad. Players were looking for networking, achievements and they didn't like the loading times.
I understand that these are problems that I would have as a customer, but today's generation of gamers have far less patience. There's great fondness of the Commodore 64, but today's gamers simply wouldn't have the patience to wait for a game to load off of a 5 1/4 floppy. And because there is less tolerance for difficulty, it's tough for other types of games to succeed.
Today's gamers want perfection for 99¢. Today's gamers want hours and hours of gameplay for 99¢ Today's gamers want free updates.
...and even with that, there are gamers that will steal a copy of the 99¢ game.
So in addition to improving my games, I look at the issues of the App Store. Is this something that I really want to endure? There are easier ways to make money.
@Photics: I am too surprised that Angry Birds has not been bought and played by all, I'm glad Cut the Rope has a chance to be#1 for awhile, but I definitely don't understand how, day after day, Angry birds has 10,000 + sales ...are there that many new customers a day buying this game?
Angry Birds is an anomaly and a phenomenon. It goes beyond just being a game to branching out into merchandise, movies, TV show, etc. Everybody has heard of Angry Birds and the first thing first-time Android/iPhone smartphone buyers (or tablet/iPod Touch buyers) probably do is to buy a copy of Angry Birds (because everybody else has it and it's only $0.99!). It was the right game at the right time and can run on a wide range of devices with the widest audience available. Trying to top Angry Birds is just setting oneself up for a lot of frustration.
@Photics You said it yourself that Bot wasn't made for everyone and was made as an alternative to typical games on the App Store. I'm not sure why you're puzzled by the relative lack of success of Bot when you've intentionally limited your audience and made a niche game. Would your Unofficial GameSalad Textbook sold as well as it has if it was only written in Latin? If you're in the game development business to have fun making games, then whatever your sales are for your games is just gravy. If you're in it as a true business to make money, you need to make products that people want, whether it's in the App Store, Android Market, or the supermarket.
I'm also tired of hearing the debate between Gamesalad vs Corona vs Unity vs whatever...
People should be less focused on what tool they're using, and more focused on making games. This whole, battle of the tools (no pun intended) is aggravating, and very unproductive.
People should be engrossed into making games instead of thinking of reasons why their game isn't successful, and blaming it on the tool, or questioning the success of their game because it was developed with tool "x".
There are a LOT more variables that dictate the success of an app in the app store than even Steve Jobs could wrap his head around.
Just look at Bouncing Birds! I've made about 4 bucks so far. It doesn't get any more commercial than that. Birds, Colors, Enemies, Physics, Simplistic and still nothing. I even have this quote about the game.
"The most mainstream game to come out since Mario" - S. Jobs
butterbean said: @Photics: I am too surprised that Angry Birds has not been bought and played by all, I'm glad Cut the Rope has a chance to be#1 for awhile, but I definitely don't understand how, day after day, Angry birds has 10,000 + sales ...are there that many new customers a day buying this game?
Don't forget that we don't actually know the algorithm that determines the chart positions. Daily sales are probably a significant factor, but it might not be the only one.
Loads of blogs suspected they changed it recently to include player engagement. Whatever the metric for that is.
---------- "Honey Tribe is not only a remarkably endearing little game, but it's also incredibly addictive." Pocket Gamer "...a touch above the rest in the endless running genre" 148apps.com Say hi on Twitter Like us on Facebook www.HoneyTribeStudios.com
Comments
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Here's a true story. I have been showing the app to some people that I know. One of them really like what I presented, but then refused to look at an update — opting to enjoy the app when it was finished.
So... I think I'll just get going on finishing the app.
One of the things that I noticed is the memory issue. The used RAM starts out at around 2 megs... and then will likely balloon to 40 megs when the app is finished. There's not much I can do about this, as GameSalad doesn't release the memory. It's all one scene. Since it's iAds, quickly switching scenes can hurt revenue... as the ad may not load in time or be on the screen long enough to matter.
"It rules!"
So, I'm almost done with Project: Salvage. I just have some minor things to do and then I can upload the project to Apple. I learned something interesting... Rules might not have a significant effect on performance. I have an actor with 85 rules. While it's slow to open in the creator, I haven't noticed any performance issues in testing.
I'm surprised that no one guessed as to what Project: Salvage could be.
Also, I'm debating if I should announce the project today or on the day it launches. I think it might have greater impact if I wait.
...and finally...
The forum is getting worse... my favorites don't appear. The Forums Activity link doesn't work. Does GameSalad need some HTML help? I think it's a mistake to be using bbPress for a site like this. I think it should be upgraded to vBulletin.
OK, no replies... that means I'm going to keep this project a secret until release. Well, maybe I'll send an email to Touch Arcade. This could be a good exclusive for them.
I'm actually glad that there was a GameSalad memory problem. I almost went over the 20 MB download limit. The project size number in the GameSalad Creator was surprisingly smaller than the final build, which was 21.7 MB uncompressed.
Even if there wasn't a problem with RAM, I would hit a problem with download space. I was feeling a little down that I didn't push this app more. Yet, there are two technical limits that suggest I hit the right size. If the app size is over 20 MB, that usually means less downloads.
Although, GameSalad is not as optimized as it should be. Since I'm using a custom loading screen, there's no need to include the gamesalad_intro.m4v and gamesalad_intro@2x.m4v files. That's an extra 369 KB of space wasted.
I set the app for an August 1, 2011 launch, but that seems highly unlikely. I'm thinking mid-to-late next week seems more likely.
Matt
There's a lot of potential here. I had a lot more fun building "Project Salvage" than building "BOT". While working on "Project Salvage", there was laughter and a lot less frustration. This project could also have great appeal to non-gamers.
"Project: Salvage" is in review. That's not the name of the app though, but tomorrow the world will know what this app is about! Heh... if it passes review. I rated it 17+ for Frequent/Intense Mature/Suggestive Themes... which makes it unavailable in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Good luck with your submission!
I don't think that it's the United States being prudish. I think it's a global thing. I didn't know that the 17+ rating would block my app from Saudi Arabia or The United Arab Emirates.
So, it's Apple to stay cautious. I wrote about the rejection here...
http://photics.com/project-salvage-too-hot-for-itunes
I didn't post the full images though.
Maybe Apple will approve the app later today. I like Friday launch dates, so that's cool with me. If it's just a one-day delay, I'm not going to get too grumpy about it. Actually, I think this is fun. It adds to the drama of the app. I'm going to change the launch date to the 5th. If Apple does approve the app, you can see one of the images right at the loading screen. The original version of the app icon is similar to content that's in the app.
By no means was "Boob Job" an extraordinary app, it was purely entertainment, BUT, there was no reason for Apple to remove it.
By saying the U.S is prudish, I wasn't talking about the app store specifically, but I was generally speaking. For a westernized country, we are prudish, but it's a mute point. (and a long story)
Apple takes rejections too far, and they're inconsistent with their rejections as well, you can see other apps in the store that are approved with the same or more objectionable content, whereas yours was rejected. It's really up to the discretionary of the reviewer I guess, so it's a lottery of sorts.
So did your game go in review again or are you still waiting? Good luck!
My second year of iOS development is about to end. Do I spend $99 and renew for a third? What seemed obvious is now becoming doubtful.
Anger!
I'm starting to get really annoyed with Apple. It shouldn't take 36 hours to review this app. I hate having to watch my app and wonder what's the right launch date. I now have it set for Saturday, but I'm not so sure that's a good day of the week for the app to launch.
I sent an email to Apple. I think they should explain themselves. Why is my app sitting around? What is so controversial about my app that it has been delayed? The reality is that my app is no more extreme than magazine covers at the supermarket. Previously, I decided to give Apple some courtesy. I changed the images to make Apple happy. But now, I'm starting to get angry.
I'm paying money for this service. Apple is making a significant amount of cash off of my apps. I'm starting to think of alternatives... I'm even starting to think about the Android Market and I don't even like Google.
These are some possible alternatives...
• Team up with GameSalad and sell the Textbook through the Marketplace
• Sell content directly through my website. I don't need Apple.
• Switch to Corona and start developing Android apps immediately.
Right now, options one and two are starting to look really good to me. I still have trouble getting started with Corona. Something that Carlos posted on his blog is troubling to me...
http://blog.anscamobile.com/2011/08/action-packed-release/ Competitors... when I think of competitors to Corona, I think of GameSalad. Would BOT have been more successful if I built it with Corona? I think that's a fair question, but I don't agree with what Carlos said. Is GameSalad only out for themselves? No... absolutely not... and the whole GameSalad vs. Corona thing is one of the main reasons why I don't use Corona. It's like I have to pick a side. I feel like the GameSalad team has been quite helpful. Sure, I could make a lot of money by writing a book about Corona, but I could make a lot of money by writing a book about something else.
Ultimately, GameSalad is one minor change away from being incredibly useful — HTML 5 Exporting. No app store tyranny, no crazy rules or reviews, just my website and my games.
I think that's what I should do today, test out BOT in HTML 5 mode. I think GameSalad is heading in the right direction, but the community should push a little more to make it useful. GameSalad is sitting on a very powerful tool for the next generation of web publishing. Apple's App Store might be the leader now, but HTML 5 could render it obsolete. Perhaps now is when that battle starts for me.
i think bot would have been slightly more successful if you used beta testers, but that doesn't mean too much. I had 20 testers and all it did was root out gameplay issues.
its all about luck. after all the time and effort i put into my last game, i'm taking a break for awhile. i can't go through all that work for basically noting again, and i don't want to play the quality vs quantity game on the app store.
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Don't give up on the app store. You clearly know your way around GS, and it would be a shame for you not to renew your license.
Beta testing is important not only to clear out bugs, but to get feedback from people on what features should be added, what things should be changed etc. It's not easy hearing others feedback on a game that's so personal to you, but if you want your game to be successful, it's a crucial step in the game development process.
I think loading times would have been dramatically improved with Corona, but I'm not so sure I could do the cool particle effects as easily. Arrays are huge for RPGs, as I could have used tiles. Apparently, the large size of the game was also an issue. Achievements could also help. I was thinking of taking a break too... but this is what I want to do. Besides battling it out the apps store, building an online arcade is one of the major goals for Photics.com. Figuring out what players like is tricky. Yet, if I wasn't doing this, I'd likely be wasting time with MMORPGs. Heh, so I might as well keep going — at least until Star Wars: The Old Republic is launched.
You seem to keep denying that there are any design flaws with Bot.
Like I said before I think you have the groundwork laid down for a great game there. But it could do with some fundamental changes.
If you can't see mistakes you'll never learn from them.
Anyway, I am actually trying to be helpful here. If you want I can PM you some issues I have with BOT. If so, let me know.
There are a few people around here who will take the time to be honest with you. You don't have to agree every time but at least consider that they may be right. If anyone offers feedback it's likely that they are trying to help you make a better game.
Shaz
----------
"Honey Tribe is not only a remarkably endearing little game, but it's also incredibly addictive." Pocket Gamer
"...a touch above the rest in the endless running genre" 148apps.com
Say hi on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
www.HoneyTribeStudios.com
At first I figured that I would have to wait another week before it was reviewed. Yet, it did say "Waiting For Review" before it was "In Review". Right now, I'm considering my options. I probably won't give up on the app store for simply one reason. Even if I do nothing, except just renew my license and let my apps just sit there, I'd still make money.
Although, it seems that jonmulcahy got discouraged too. Is that the natural progression for a GameSalad developer? It's tough to keep that energy going. Some days I look at the app store and think, "Where are the games? I can do better than this!" and other days I think, "Wow, I can't compete with this!" The problem with BOT is that I felt I hit the design requirements. Even with all the changes from feedback, a lot of people were still grumpy with the game. And if I was a tester with Angry Birds, I would say stuff like... lousy music and annoying sound effects. Even though there are issues with Angry Birds... and even though lots of players complained about adding Rovio spam to a paid game... the game is still perched at the top of the app store. (It only moved down to second place recently because of a new Cut-The-Rope game.)
So, while I still believe that the app store rewards quality, there's also some stuff that defies logic. Even if everyone loved Angry Birds, wouldn't they all have bought it by now? Why does the same game just dominate the top-ten... while other games seem to go nowhere? Do I keep trying to figure out the puzzle?
As long as it's still fun, then I think it's OK for me to keep trying. But when I see Apple giving my apps a hard time, that's when the fun quickly turns into frustration. Now I have to shadow this app for a week to make sure that the launch date doesn't get screwed up.
BOT was meant to be an alternative to the typical games on the app store. Not everything was apparent. That was by design. Could it have been better? That's a meaningless gauge, as just about anything in life can be better. The point is that it was a 99¢ app — that I worked on for six months — and people reacted to it like I killed someone's puppy. Feedback is good, but it's only part of the picture.
Reaction time... that's another issue. With the Android Market, I was releasing updates whenever I wanted. Apple's App Store isn't that fast. That's a limitation of the system. Additionally, I am limited by GameSalad. Players were looking for networking, achievements and they didn't like the loading times.
I understand that these are problems that I would have as a customer, but today's generation of gamers have far less patience. There's great fondness of the Commodore 64, but today's gamers simply wouldn't have the patience to wait for a game to load off of a 5 1/4 floppy. And because there is less tolerance for difficulty, it's tough for other types of games to succeed.
Today's gamers want perfection for 99¢.
Today's gamers want hours and hours of gameplay for 99¢
Today's gamers want free updates.
...and even with that, there are gamers that will steal a copy of the 99¢ game.
So in addition to improving my games, I look at the issues of the App Store. Is this something that I really want to endure? There are easier ways to make money.
@Photics
You said it yourself that Bot wasn't made for everyone and was made as an alternative to typical games on the App Store. I'm not sure why you're puzzled by the relative lack of success of Bot when you've intentionally limited your audience and made a niche game. Would your Unofficial GameSalad Textbook sold as well as it has if it was only written in Latin? If you're in the game development business to have fun making games, then whatever your sales are for your games is just gravy. If you're in it as a true business to make money, you need to make products that people want, whether it's in the App Store, Android Market, or the supermarket.
- Jeff
People should be less focused on what tool they're using, and more focused on making games. This whole, battle of the tools (no pun intended) is aggravating, and very unproductive.
People should be engrossed into making games instead of thinking of reasons why their game isn't successful, and blaming it on the tool, or questioning the success of their game because it was developed with tool "x".
There are a LOT more variables that dictate the success of an app in the app store than even Steve Jobs could wrap his head around.
"The most mainstream game to come out since Mario" - S. Jobs
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Loads of blogs suspected they changed it recently to include player engagement. Whatever the metric for that is.
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"Honey Tribe is not only a remarkably endearing little game, but it's also incredibly addictive." Pocket Gamer
"...a touch above the rest in the endless running genre" 148apps.com
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